21 October 2006

Clowning Workshops for Refugees

Professional circus performers will teach young refugees and asylum seekers at the Belgrade, beginning this week. The workshops are aimed at 12-25 yr olds and are intended to boost confidence and social skills.

Perhaps predictably, the scheme was criticised by a Tory MP (Bob Spink, whose constituency is in Essex).

Refugee children and adolescents in the UK have been exposed to high levels of violence, and loss of, or separation from, family members. Studies show that up to 40% may have psychiatric disorders, mostly depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and other anxiety-related difficulties. In light of this, why is it controversial to spend £2000 for clowning workshops for refugee youth in Coventry?

The workshops are bringing youth from a wide range of countries together. After trauma, it’s a small price to pay forpeople to learn to laugh again, to learn to make others laugh.

When you have a Tory MP criticising an innovative project, and the Sun and Daily Mail doing negative stories on it, I'd expect a council leader like Ken Taylor to speak up on behalf of the Belgrade's work.